One general type of heart valve surgery involves an open-heart surgical procedure that is conducted under general anesthesia, during which the heart is stopped and blood flow is controlled by a heart-lung bypass machine. Such open-heart procedures typically require exposure of the heart and its vessels through median sternotomy (dividing the breastbone), which is considered one of the most invasive and traumatic aspects of open-heart surgery. This type of valve surgery is highly invasive and exposes the patient to a number of potential risks, such as infection, stroke, renal failure, and adverse effects associated with use of the heart-lung machine, for example.
Due to the drawbacks of open-heart surgical procedures, there has been an increased interest in minimally invasive surgical techniques. Such minimally invasive approaches allow access to the heart through relatively small incisions and without stopping the heart. In addition, minimally invasive techniques do not require separation of the breastbone (sternum) and ribcage, and do not require use of a heart-lung machine. Other benefits of minimally invasive heart surgery can include a smaller incision site for the patient and a smaller resultant scar, along with a decreased risk of infection, less bleeding, less trauma, a decreased length of stay in the hospital, and a shorter recovery time. Although some devices and methods are available for allowing such minimally invasive access, it is desirable to provide additional devices and methods for accessing specific areas of the heart that can accommodate particular requirements and/or preferences of the surgeon.